Body supporting undergarment



Jan. 31, 1967 J. c. M LEOD BODY SUPPORTING UNDERGARMENT Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Josephme C. McLeod Jan. 31, 1967 J. c. M LEOD 0 BODY SUPPORTING UNDERGARMENT Filed Nov. 25, 196 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Josephine C McLeod WW5 WM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,301,259 BODY SUPPORTlNG UNDERGARMENT Josephine C. McLeod, 210 E. Jackson, Thomasviile, Ga. 31792 Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 413,931 9 Claims. (Cl. 128-476) This invention relates to ladies undergarments and more particularly to upper abdominal garments generally used as body supporting garments, commonly known as brassieres.

This invention relates to long and short brassieres of the type worn by women with oif-the-shoulder evening dresses and sport clothes.

Human wearing apparel has traditionally been designed to fiit over the shoulder portion of the body and hang downwardly therefrom. The reason for this traditional arrangement stems from the fact that the shoulder portion of the body affords a natural and comfortable horizontal support for vertically hanging garments. The shoulder has also been used to support the female bosom. This, too, is a natural arrangement since these two sections of the anatomy are located fairly close to each other and the female bosom requires vertical upward support, and the shoulder section is disposed above the bosom.

The traditional manner in which the female bosom is supported from the shoulder portion of the body is with straps depending vertically from the shoulder portion connected to a garment which tightly surrounds the upper body portion below the bosom and which encompasses the bosom. In this manner the straps maintain the garment in the proper location with respect to the bosom, and the bosom derives a substantial portion of its support from the straps.

Fashion has dictated, however, that on some occasions the upper body or shoulder portion of a lady should be exposed; as when evening dresses or certain sports clothes are worn. These olf-the-shoulder garments present a problem to a lady since the usual straps that extend over the shoulders to support the bosom support garment are considered unsightly and, therefore, undesirable. Accordingly, in order for a lady to wear oif-the-shoulder outer garments, the traditional over-the-shoulder straps must be removed from the inner support garment, and the inner support garment must derive its vertical support from some other source.

The method most commonly used to attain vertical support for the bosom in a strapless undergarment is to extend the garment down from the bosom toward the lower trunk of the body and tightly cinch the garment to the lower trunk. In this manner, a tightly cinched garment can provide the necessary support for the bosom and will not easily slide down the body. It has been found that in the strapless type support garment, the longer the garment extends down the lower trunk of the body and the more tightly the garment is cinched around the :body, the better its ability to support the bosom. Another feature incorporated in the usual strapless support garment is a plurality of vertically extending metal or plastic stays sewn into the garment. These vertical stays keep the garment from bunching up toward the middle of the body, and support from the lower trunk portion of the body can be transmitted up through the stays toward the bosom. Still another commonly adopted feature in strapless support garments is a semi-circular or U-shaped stay located around the lower extremity of the bosom from which the traditional cups are supported.

While these traditional vertical and semi-circular stays provide adequate support to the bosom, they occasionally become uncomfortable due to the fact that the garment has to be so tightly cinched around the body. While the support garment is designed to ride and to bend with the anatomy during its normal movements, the flesh near the upper portion of the garment receives a certain amount of chafing and gouging from the garment because of the rigidness of the stays therein. This chafing is most noticeable in the semi-circular stays immediately below each breast, which is probably due to the fact that the lower portion of the anatomy moves somewhat independently of the upper portion of the anatomy, whereas the vertical stays which support the upper semi-circular stays tend to transmit the motion of the lower portion of the anatomy to its upper portion. Accordingly, there is some relative movement between the upper semi-circular stays and the upper body. This movement, together with the pressure of the lower portion of the semi-circular stays exerted on the body from the cinching of the garment around the body, can cause chafing, gouging and irritation.

It is believed that the irritation to the body is generally localized at the lower portion of the U-shaped or semicircular stays instead of the upper portion of the stays since the upper portions of each of the stays are curved around so that they are disposed generally perpendicular to the ribs of the wearer and tend to rest on top of several ribs, whereas the lower portion of each stay is disposed generally parallel to the ribs of the wearer and tends to rest on one rib or gouge between two ribs. In this manner, while the pressure on the body from the upper portion of the semi-circular stays is spread over a large area, consisting of the outside of several ribs, the pressure from the lower portion of the stays is exerted on a small area and is therefore uncomfortable.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a strapless support garment which derives its vertical support from the trunk of the body and which is comfortable to wear.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ladies support garment that has semi-circular stays disposed immediately below the bosom which do not chafe or aggravate the skin or tissue with which it comes into contact.

It is another object of my invention to provide a strapless support garment which has vertical stays that support the bosom.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of the invention in the open position with parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the invention taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of one of the cups of the invention showing how the vertical and semi-circularv stays are associated with each other.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention in combination with a long waisted, front opening garment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention in combination with a long waisted back opening garment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of my invention in combination with a short, front opening garment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of my invention in combination with a short, back opening garment with straps.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a strapless, long waisted brassiere 10 formed with a pair of concave laterally spaced cups 12 which are integrally connected to a bodice or body encircling member 14 which includes a plurality of vertical strips or panels 16, 18 and 20 on the front section of the garment, and 22 and 24 on the rear section of the garment. The panels 20 and 24 are made of an elastic material so that they will stretch, and the garment can conform with the contours of the body during body movement. The panels are contoured and dimensioned to provide a narrow waist section and a highly elastic bodygirdling abdominal portion. A plurality of vertically extending rigidifying members or stays are sewn into the garment at spaced intervals therearound between the panels. A central stay 26 extends the full length of the garment and extends upwardly in the inner cup portion of the garment. Two breast supporting stays 28 extend upwardly in stay passages of the front panel from the bottom of the garment into the lower portion of the respective cups 12. Two side stays 30 are'in the stay passages at the intersection of the side panels 18 and 20. These stays are closely disposed with the cups 12 near their outer portions and provide support to the cups 12 while back stays primarily prevent the garment from gathering at the waist.

The cups 12 are diametrically aligned and spaced laterally apart, with each of the cups having a spaced or lower support section 32, and an upper section 34 which are joined together at the bust line 36. A U- shaped or semi-circular support means or stay 38 is sewn into the garment at the intersection of each of the cups 12 with the midriff portion 14 of the garment. As seen in FIG. of the drawing, the garment has a fastening means 40 which extends vertically up the back of the garment and comprises a plurality of hooks and eyes which are adapted to be fastened together and hold the garment around the body. With this arrangement it can be seen that the vertically extending stays would derive some support from the midriif portion of the garment so as to support the semi-circular stays immediately below the bust. The semi-circular stays in turn support the cups which in turn support the bosom.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the breast supporting stay 28, its sponge rubber cover 29 and covering material 31 extend up over the semicircular stay 38 and its padding 39 and into the cup 12. By this construction the vertical stays 28 are located between the body of the wearer and the semi-circular stays 38. With this arrangement several new results are attained in the support function of the garment. Since the vertical stays. 28 are located inwardly of the semicircular stays 38, the lower portions of semi-circular stays 28 will be held slightly away from the body of the wearer in such a fashion that the lower part of the semi-circular stay will not come into direct contact with or directly exert pressure on the surface of the skin of the wearer and will not chafe or gouge the body in this area. While the lower sections of the semi-circular stays 38 are held slightly away from the body, the two upper halves are allowed to come into contact with the body in the usual manner so that a line of delineation between the bust section of the anatomy and the trunk of the anatomy is maintained.

Since the semi-circular stays 38 encompass both the bosom and the upper extremity of the vertical stays 28, it can be seen that the support imparted the semi-circular stays 38 by the other stays in the body encircling memher or bodice will also be imparted to the upper extremity of the vertical stays 28. Because of the somewhat natural rigidity and stiffness of the stays 28, the upper extremity thereof which extend up toward the bust line 26 in the cup 12 will help support the bosom in the lower support section 32 of the cup 12.

In previously known body support garments, the semicircular cup support stays such as my stays 38 were allowed to come into direct contact with the trunk portion of the body immediately beneath the bust section. Since the lower section of the semi-circular stay is substantially parallel to the ribs of the wearer, this lower section of the semi-circular stay tend to gouge into or between the ribs of the wearer, whereas the upper sections of the semi-circular stay were curved around so that they normally maintained a position transverse to the direction to the ribs of the wearer and therefore never gouged between the ribs. While these semicircular stays were comfortable at their upper ends, the lower or middle sections thereof became uncomfortable to the wearer after a period of time even though they were usually covered with padding. With my arrangement, the uncomfortable sections of the semi-circular stays are held slightly away from the body so that it is impossible for this section to gouge in between the ribs of the wearer. At the same time, however, the stays 38 maintain the same support function to the bust as those previously known semi-circular stays, but the pressure that was formerly transmitted by the lower portions of the semi-circular stays to the ribs of the wearer is now transmitted to the vertical stays 28 which are disposed perpendicular to the wearers ribs and therefore ride on top of the ribs. Furthermore, it can be seen that the pressure that was normally applied to a small section of the ribs by the lower central portion of the semi-circular stays 38 will be transmitted to a larger area by the vertically disposed stays 28.

While my invention has been described in combination with a long waisted, back opening strapless garment, it can be seen in FIGS. 4-7 that my invention is applicable to both long and short waisted garments, both back and front opening garments, and both strap and strapless garments.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show my invention in combination with a short waisted support garment or brassiere. While the short waisted garment does not have the long vertical stays and particularly the long vertical stays 28 to support the bosom and the semi-circular stays 38, the vertical bosom supporting stays 28a function in a manner similar to the stays 23 in the long waisted garment in that the pressure formerly transmitted to the wearers body by the lower central portion of the semi-circular stays 38 in the short waisted garment is now transmitted to the somewhat shorter vertical stays 28a which are perpendicularly disposed in relation to the wearers ribs. The length of the stays 28a is enough so that the pressure formerly exerted between the ribs -or on one rib at one point is now applied to the outside surface of several ribs.

FIG. 7 shows that the invention can be used in combination with a garment that has the conventional shoulder straps attached to the upper cup section 34 of the cup 12. While it has formerly been thought that the combination of this type support garment with support-' ing straps would be useless since the wearer would normally prefer to not have the semi-circular stays 38 unless absolutely necessary because of their discomfort, the semi-circular stays 38 do give added support to the bosom and is a desirable support feature. Accordingly, with my device the wearer is provided with a comfortable support garment that has the semi-circular bust supporting stays 38 and with the shoulder support straps 41. It is believed that the combination of the shoulder support straps and the semi-circular stays provides comfortable support to the breast which was never heretofore deemed practical. This is especially desirable for heavy busted ladies since the support from the U-shaped stays is needed to supplement the support from the straps.

Furthermore, with both the semi-circular support 38 and shoulder strap 41 I have provided a very practical garment in that it can be worn comfortably with either olf-the-shoulder outer clothing without straps or with straps when the wearer is adorned with clothes that cover the shoulders. Because of this feature, it can be seen that my support garment can be used with everyday clothing in comfort or with the occasional oif-theashoulg der garment with comfort; which comfortallows the wearer to practically purchase only one typesupport garment for the two types of clothing, whereas formerly the wearer of oif-the-shoulder garments was ,forced to purchase two types of support garments.

It will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that' many variations may be made in the embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustrating the invention without de parting from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. In an undergarment of the character described, a bodice adapted to provide breast and abdominal support formed of serially interconnected elastic and inelastic panels including front, back and side panels contoured and dimensioned to provide a narrow waist section and a highly elastic body-girdling abdominal portion of relatively substantial length; separable fastening means incorporated between two of said panels; laterally spaced apart breast cups at the top of said front panel being attached thereto at concavely arcuate joints; relatively inflexible stiffening elements in said joints, vertically extending stays in said bodice and spaced therearound, at least one of said stays extending inwardly of and over said stiffening elements and up into each of said breast cups and being constructed and arranged to keep said stiffening elements from hearing against the abdomen of the wearer.

2. A brassiere having a body encircling portion adapted to surround the body of the wearer immediately below the breasts, two diametrically aligned and laterally spaced apart breast receiving cups attached to and disposed above said body encircling portion, said breast receiving cups comprising an upper cup portion and a lower cup support portion joined together at the bustline, a semicircular stay integrally disposed between each of said breast receiving cups and said body encircling portion and conforming generally to the shape of said breast receiving cups, at least one upwardly extending rigidifying stay disposed in said body encircling portion and extending into said lower cup support portion of each breast receiving cup toward said bustline, a soft cover positioned over each of said upwardly extending stays, said upwardly extending stays and their soft covers each being disposed inwardly of their respective cups and extending over their respective semicircular stays in such a manner that said upwardly extending stays are adapted to maintain a portion of said semicircular stays spaced away from the body of the wearer.

3. A ladys undergarment comprising a midriif portion adapted to encircle a human body, fastening means for strapping said garment around said body, two laterally spaced apart concave cups attached to and positioned generally above and in the front of said midrilf portion and adapted to receive the breasts of the wearer, semi-circular stays located at the intersection of the lower portion of said cups and said midriif portion, said stays conforming to the general shape of said cups, a plurality of vertical stiffening stays extending through said midriif portion of said undergarment at spaced intervals, one of said stays extending up generally between said cups, at least one of said vertical stays extending upwardly over said semi-circular stays into each of said cups, whereby in normal use of said undergarment said at least one of said stays is positioned between its said semicircular stay and a breast of the wearer.

4. In a breast support garment of the type having a body encircling portion adapted to surround the trunk of a female body and two breast receiving cups disposed above said body encircling portion and adapted to receive the breast of said female body, the combination therewith of substantially U-shaped stays located between said breast receiving cups and said body encircling portion and a plurality of upwardly extending stiffening stays spaced around said body encircling portion, said breast receiving cups each having at least one of said upwardly extending stays extending over its U-shaped stay for positioning between said U-shaped stay and the wearer.

5. A breast support garment having a body encircling portion, two diametrically aligned and laterally spaced breast receiving cups attached to and disposed above said body encircling portion, a substantially semi-circular stay means integrally disposed between each of said breast receiving cups and said body encircling portion, at least one vertically disposed stiffening stay extending from said body encircling portion inwardly of and over said substantially semi-circular stay up into each of said breast receiving cups.

6. A breast support garment as defined in claim 5 and further comprising removable shoulder straps connected to said cups.

7. A breast support garment as defined in claim 5 and further comprising means for opening said body encircling portion 'at the back thereof.

8. A breast support garment as defined in claim 5 and further comprising means for opening said body encircling portion at the front thereof.

9. A breast support garment for a female body comprising a body encircling portion, two diametrically aligned laterally spaced breast receiving cups attached to and disposed generally above said body encircling portion and extending outwardly of said garment, arcuate stiffening support means positioned along the intersection of each of said breast receiving cups with said body encircling portion, and upwardly extending stiffening support means positioned inwardly of and over each of said arcuate stiffening support means and being constructed and arranged to space at least a portion of each of said arcuate stiffening support means from hearing against the body of the wearer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,877,770 3/1959 Gold 128-475 3,054,407 9/ 1962 Dernburg 128472 3,213,854 10/1965 Rizzi 128-477 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

2. A BRASSIERE HAVING A BODY ENCIRCLING PORTION ADAPTED TO SURROUND THE BODY OF THE WEARER IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE BREASTS, TWO DIAMETRICALLY ALIGNED AND LATERALLY SPACED APART BREAST RECEIVING CUPS ATTACHED TO AND DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BODY ENCIRCLING PORTION, SAID BREAST RECEIVING CUPS COMPRISING AN UPPER CUP PORTION AND A LOWER CUP SUPPORT PORTION JOINED TOGETHER AT THE BUSTLINE, A SEMICIRCULAR STAY INTEGRALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID BREAST RECEIVING CUPS AND SAID BODY ENCIRCLING PORTION AND CONFORMING GENERALLY TO THE SHAPE OF SAID BREAST RECEIVING CUPS, AT LEAST ONE UPWARDLY EXTENDING RIGIDIFYING STAY DISPOSED IN SAID BODY ENCIRCLING PORTION AND EXTENDING INTO SAID LOWER CUP SUPPORT PORTION OF EACH BREAST RECEIVING CUP TOWARD SAID BUSTLINE, A SOFT COVER POSITIONED OVER EACH OF SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING STAYS, SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDING STAYS AND THEIR SOFT COVERS EACH BEING DISPOSED INWARDLY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE CUPS AND EXTENDING OVER THEIR RESPECTIVE SEMICIRCULAR STAYS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT SAID UPWARDLY EXTENDIONG STAYS ARE ADAPTED TO MAINTAIN A PORTION OF SAID SEMICIRCULAR STAYS SPACED AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE WEARER. 